1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to linkages for a vehicle hardtop.
2. Background Art
German published patent application DE 101 08 493 A1 discloses linkages for a three-part vehicle hardtop. Two main links support the vehicle hardtop. On a body side, the two main links are associated with a main bearing. The main bearing has a rear link attachment for the main link in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The main link is a C-pillar link and is associated with a rear roof part. The rear link attachment is a bearing for the C-pillar link that has a stationary position relative to the body. A front link attachment includes an intermediate link. The intermediate link has a pivot point and is pivotably connected to the main link at a connection point. The pivot point has a stationary position relative to the body. A connection link acts on the intermediate link. The intermediate link is a drive link and is connected to the main link through a link drive to form the C-pillar link. The intermediate link produces a translational displacement for the main link that pivots on the intermediate link. The translational displacement depends on the position of the intermediate link when the intermediate link pivots. A first phase of opening the hardtop involves translational displacement of the hardtop by raising the hardtop near the front connection of the hardtop to the windshield.
European published patent application EP 0 974 480 A1 also discloses a main bearing in the form of a bracket for folding convertible vehicle tops that is used to support a main link. The bracket pivots with respect to the body. When the convertible top is folded up and stored in the convertible top compartment, the bracket assumes a upwardly inclined position and is raised with respect to the link attachments of the main links. The bracket that forms the main bearing is raised and the link attachments of the main links are raised with respect to the body to allow the convertible top to fold above the body when the convertible top is either closed or being folded. Folding the convertible top above the body avoids limitations associated with the body and parts of body units. For example, folding the convertible top above the body allows the convertible top to be folded into a packet, pivoted and stowed into the convertible top compartment.
German published patent application DE 102 48 350 A1 discloses a vehicle hardtop having a rear roof part and a front roof part. The front roof part lies in front of the rear roof part when the hardtop is in a closed position. The rear roof part includes a rear window and side C-pillar links. The rear window, or a frame associated with it, is adjustable relative to the C-pillar links. The C-pillar links and the rear window, or rear window frame, form linkages bearing the front roof part. Each of the linkages is connected with the body so that the front roof part can pivot through arms that project downwards towards the vehicle body. A bracket connects the linkages to the body. The bracket is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the body and has bearing positions for the arms. The arms are adjustable with respect to the bracket and are connected to the drive and each other through a coupling element. One drive per side of the vehicle is sufficient to ensure that the roof parts can pivot uniformly about the arms' bearing positions associated with the bracket. Additional longitudinal adjustment of the bracket causes the closed hardtop as a whole to be displaced far enough to disengage a pin connection without the roof parts shifting with respect to one another. Pins associated with the front roof part and pin receptacles associated with the windshield frame form the pin connection.
European patent EP 1 361 966 A discloses a convertible vehicle roof. The roof is in the form of a hardtop having two roof parts. The two roof parts shift out of their respective closed positions with an actuating force. The rear roof part, which is associated with a C-pillar link, is connected to a body side through a drive link and a support link. A driving cylinder supported on the body side may cause the drive link to operate. The support link is in the form of an elbow lever. When a force is applied to the support link through a spring element, the support link is raised from an end position. The spring element is supported on the body side at a position corresponding to the respective end position. The C-pillar link and a main link form linkages supporting the front roof part. The main link is attached to the body through an intermediate link. A coupling link operatively connects the intermediate link to the drive link.
European published patent application EP 1 285 795 A2 discloses an adjustable bracket to reduce the space required for a multi-part opening vehicle roof that is stored between a vehicle's trunk and seating space. The adjustable bracket supports the roof and a four-bar mechanism supports the adjustable bracket on the body. An actuating drive applies force to one link of the four-bar mechanism. The rear roof part is attached to the bracket to allow the rear roof part to pivot and adjust through a second actuating drive. An driving cylinder supported against the bracket forms the second actuating drive. A second four-bar mechanism links the front roof part to an arm of the bracket. The rear link of the second four-bar mechanism has, in the area of the rear link's attachment to the bracket's arm, a cantilever. A support link attached to the body acts on the cantilever to move the front roof part toward the rear roof part depending on the adjusting motion of the bracket. Movement of the front roof part towards the rear roof part independently moves the rear roof part against the bracket.
German published patent application DE 101 63 315 A1 discloses a multi-part opening roof having a space-saving storage design. The roof has a rear roof part associated with a C-pillar link. The C-pillar link is part of a four-bar mechanism and supports the front roof part with a control link positioned in front of the front roof part. The links of the four-bar mechanism are arranged on a bracket. A second four-bar mechanism arrangement connects the bracket to a body. The C-pillar link has a cantilever near the C-pillar's attachment to the bracket. An intermediate link connects the cantilever to the front link of the four-bar mechanism. The front link of the four-bar mechanism is located between the body and the bracket to allow the cantilever to pivot.
German published patent application DE 102 18 874 A1 discloses a multi-part hardtop having a rear window that is associated with a rear roof part to reduce space requirements for a roof in a storage position. When the roof is in the storage position, the roof is located in the back inside portion of the vehicle. To stow the roof, the roof is swung down toward the back inside portion of the vehicle which moves the rear window relative to the rear roof part. A four-bar arrangement supports the rear window with respect to the C-pillar link of the rear roof part. A control lever connects the four-bar arrangement to the front roof part. A second four-bar mechanism arrangement connects the front roof part to the body. The second four-bar mechanism arrangement has one link formed by the C-pillar link to allow the control lever to pivot the front roof part with respect to the rear roof part. Pivoting the front roof part moves the four-bar arrangement supporting the rear window. Pivoting the front roof part also moves the rear window both translationally and rotationally with respect to both the C-pillar link and the surrounding part of the rear roof part to allow greater packing density of the stored roof.
Applicant's invention improves on the above designs as summarized below.